Carton opening and squaring apparatus for carton-filling machines



Feb. 11, 1930. R A, JONES 1,746,836

CARTON OPENING AND SQUARING APPARATUS FOR CARTON FILLING MACHINES FiledSept. 6, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 11, 1930. N S 1,746,836

CARTON OPENING AND SQUARING APPARATUS FOR CARTON FILLING MACHINES FiledSept. 6, 1928 :5 SheetsSheet 2 Feb. 11, 1930. R. A. JONES 1,746,836

CARTON OPENING AND SQUARING APPARATUS FOR CARTON FILLING MACHINES FiledSept. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 avwcntoz Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE RUEL A. JONES, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TOR. A. JONES & COMPANY, INC., 015 COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, A COBIORATION OFKENTUCKY CARTON OPENING AND SQUARING APPARATUS FOR CARTON-FILLINGMACHINE$ Application filed September 6, 1928. Serial No. 304,190.

This invention relates to improvements in carton filling machines, andparticularly to the apparatus for opening and squaring a collapsed orflat folded carton as successively ejected and advanced in theircollapsed or flat form from a magazine or holder in which the cartonsare deposited in horizontal position, adapting the lowermost cartons tobe ejected one after another.

The invention primarily relates to carton opening and squaring mechanismmovable horizontal and engaging a side wall or edge of a collapsed orpartially collapsed carton sustained upon a table "or track, andswinging the walls of the carton to a normally open position and againstsquare sided abutments or stops, one abutment or stop serving to arrestthe advance of the carton as delivered from the magazine, the secondengaging into the carton, presenting a squared edge along a scored orfolding line of two sides of the carton to hold or confine the cartonagainst vertical displacement upon the track or table.

An object of the invention is to provide means for entering a flatknock-down rectangular carton and partially opening the same, whereuponit can be fully opened by pressure exerted in a horizontal directionagainst one edge or side of the carton until contacting with astationary squaring edge or surface.

Other objects and certain advantages will be more fully set forth in adescription the accompanying drawings forming a pa K of thisspecification, in which: I

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a portion of the cartonfilling machine, and particularly of that portion embracing the presentinvention relating to the mechanism for squaring a flat or knock-downcarton after being delivered from a magazine in which a stack or pack offiat cartons in horizontal position are deposited.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the carton filling machinetaken through the magazine and looking down on the stack of foldedcartons in the magazine and a carton acted on by the carton squaringmechanism.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44, Figure 1 illustrating thelever and cam for actuating the carton squaring mechanism.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the carton partially opened bymeans of a transversely movable spear with the rear side and rear uppercorner of the carton engaged by a*- horizontally reciprocating claw, theclaw 'in a forward motion moving the rear side of the carton and thesquare side of the spear.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken vertically and longitudinally of themechanisms for ejecting or feeding the lowermost carton from the base ofthe magazine.

Figure 7 is a view taken on line 77, Fig ure 3, illustrating the meansfor holding the ejected carton against displacement laterally of theguide rails as the spear is inserted therein;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of thespear and the carton as'the carton is brought into alignment with thespear and prior toinsertion of the spear.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates the machine frame ofrectangularformation,

built up of side rails 11 and end rails 12 supported upon legs 13.Standards 14 extend upwardly from the frame for supporting variousoverhead transmission devices no herein illustrated.

The present invention is directed primarily to the mechanism forsquaring a fiat or knock-down carton of a carton filling machine of acharacter as disclosed in aprior patent issued to me, No. 1,472,364,dated October 30, 1923.

In such types of carton filling machines, a commercial form ofcollapsible or knockdown rectangular carton with closure flaps at itsopposite ends is employed, the cartons being magazined in a flat orknock-down position. A bundle or stack of flat cartons is depositedwithin a vertically disposed magait ejected or withdrawn by areciprocating 7 the forward edge engages a stop or stationary abutmentin the path thereof for definite- I ly locating the carton with respectto a transversely movable spear engaged into the carton forpartially-squaring the same. The

spear is provided with a squared edge against which the rear side of thecarton is brought by a reciprocating claw engaging the rear upper edgeof the partially opened carton and drawing or moving the upper and sidewalls to a squared position, one wall against the stationary abutmentand the opposite wall against the square side of the spear.

In its squared position the carton is engaged by a transport mechanism,and after the spear has been withdrawn, advanced to a filling station,the filling mechanism and end flap closure mechanism not being disclosedherein. 7

As mentioned, the carton operated upon is the commercial type ofrectangular tube form, having opposite face sides 5, 6, connected byopposite side walls 7 7. The ends of the carton are provided with endflaps 9 as extensions from the side walls and a tucking closure flap 8extending from one of the face sides.

The flaps in the knock-down position of the carton are in plane with thecarton walls from which they extend, and the tucking closure flapsprotrude to overlap the end flaps, adapting the same to be individuallymanipulated for raising or inclining the same, to facilitate theentrance into the carton by a transversely reciprocable spear for apreliminary opening step, and to confine the carton upon the track ortable during the opening or squaring oper-' ation.

The feeding and squaring mechanisms represent only a division of anorganized machine, so that parts not directly or vitally concerned withthe present improvements are omitted in the drawing disclosure anddescription of parts, and likewise, the power or transmission devices,including a number of cams and the like, for actuating the variouselements of the feeding and squaring mechanisms in timed relation, areomitted,as such parts may be substantially the duplicate of those shownin the machine of said prior patent, or may represent any well knownmeans for imparting the necessary movement to the various parts, theomission being made to azine corners and a pair of upright rearwardlydisposed bars 17 forming the back of the magazine, this arrangementproviding the rectangular magazine for containing and supporting thestack of folded cartons 18, the cartons lying horizontal one uponanother, adapting the lowermost carton to be successively ejected.

The stack of cartons 18 is supported on a pair of cross rests 19, eachcomprising, a portion 20 attached to each channel iron upright and arearwardly extending support finger 21. The lowerfends of the rearmagazine bar uprights are turned outwardly as at 22 and the rest fingers21 are so related to the turned portion of the bars as to provide anarrow space 23 for the ejection of the lowermost flat cart on.

The ejector or feeding mechanism comprises, a sucker element 24 forcentrally engaging and drawing downwardly the lowermost carton, aseparator element 25 horizontally inserted between the lowermost cartonand the next adjacent carton, separated by centrally bowing of thelowermost carton on the rests 19, and an ejector element 26 comprising apair of fingers 27 horizontally engaging the forward edge of thelowermost carton for sliding it laterally or forwardly from the base ofthe magazine through the space 23 over a table 28 to its squaringstation. a

The table 28 extends from a point below the magazine 15 and spaced awayfrom the turned or footends 22 0f the magazine bars. This table issuitably supported on the frame of the machine by meansof a support 29secured to the frame.

The ejected carton, indicated at 30, is advanced over the table by theejector mechanism until its forward edge engagesa verticallyreciprocable stop element 31. -The tucking flap 8 extending from one endof the carton during the travel of the carton is slightly elevated orinclined upwardly so as to sl1de over the upper inclined side of therec1pro cable spear 33." The spear during the advance a of the flatcarton, so that the edged end of to the line of scoring as the junctureof the carton walls and substantially in line therewith, andaproximately in sliding contact with-the lower face wall ofthe carton tocon fine the carton upon the table and provide an edge over which therear wall is bent.

With the spear in such position within the carton, any forward pressureagainst the carton rear side wall will move the carton to its squaredposition about the spear.

The spear is mountedupon a slide 34 and I projects beyond the' endthereof so that it may be freely engaged into the carton for the desiredlength, with the head end 35 during the retreat position of the spearterminating at a point which will only engage with the closurefiap 8 ofthe carton, thus, not interfering or obstructing the carton advancetoward the stop 31. The head is appropriately formed by bevelling itsupper side and also its lower side, producing an angled knife edgeadapting the head to be readily guided into the 'closed carton, itsknife edge being in the plane slightly above the plane of the lower sidewall of the carton, while the lower side of the body portion thereof issubstantially in line with the upper surface of the lower face Wall.

The slide 34 is mounted in the slideway of a slide bracket 37 bolted tothe frame providing for horizontal reciprocation of the spear at rightangles to the table and longitudinal relative to the ejected carton, theslide being secured within the dovetail slideway by means of the usualgib plate 38.

A lever 39 having its upper end secured to the slide by means of a link40 is pivoted or fulcrumed' upon a bracket 41 attached to the side ofthe frame. The lower end of the lever'3 9 is pivotally connected to arod 42 as an intermediate connection with the transmission means ormechanism, not shown, the lever providingthe means for actuating the 4slide;

On the opposite side of the table from the spear a movable abutment 43is provided for preventing lateral displacement of the carton induced bythe insertion of the spear. This abutment is mounted on a swinging lever44 fulcrumed on a standard 45 extending from and attached to the frontframe and an actuating lever 46 is connected to the lower end ofitheabutment lever. The upper or engaging end of the abutment lever isprovided with the abutment in the form of a plate, this plate presentinga side surface 48 toward the table and carton and a flat top surface 49downwardly rounded toward its forward end. The purpose of the roundedforward end is to permit the carton side flaps 9 to slide over theabutment, the side flat edge being designed to engage the end edge ofthe base panel 5 of the carton whichhas no flap, this being apparentfrom Figure 7. j

As a means for holding up themain tucking flap 8 of the carton on theside entered by the spear, a guide 52 is secured to the bracket 37 bymeans of a bracket or arm 53. The guide is formed of plate and presentsan inclined top surface engaged by the flaps of the carton as ejectedfromthe magazine and terminating in a'horizontal portion 54 slightlyabove the level of the table. As shown in Figure 1, this horizontalportion 54 terminates slightly short .of the osition in which the cartonis acted upon by the spear but is in engagement with the flaps until theupper flap 8 drops over the spear head.

After the spear has been inserted into the carton by reciprocation ofthe slide, the carton assumes the'position shown in Figure 5 to be actedupon by a claw depending from a horizontally moving slide 55. The slide55 is mounted on the upper face of an upper guide rail 56 toward theforward end thereof, the upper guide rail 56 being attached to the baseflange of a standard 57. The upper guide or rail 56 is of the same widthas the lower guide or table and terminates relative to the magazine sothat the carton after ejection will be set up and squared between therespective rails for subsequent guided movement therebetween. I

The slide 55 is of plate form, sliding upon the rail 56, said platehaving flanges 59 overhanging the respecti ve-sides of the rail andfingers or lugs 60depending from the respective side flanges forengaging the carton. The slide 55 is maintained for limited longitudinalmovement on the table by means of screws 61 passing through longitudinalslots 62 in the upper portion and screwed into the upper rail. v

The slide is reciprocated by means of cam and lever devices, as follows:4

At the opposite end of the machine a vertical power shaft 63 carries acam 64, the cam being engaged by a roller 65 secured to the outer orswinging end of a pivoted lever 66 mounted on a pivot bracket 67 bymeans 'of a pivot bolt 68, the bracket being secured to the side of therear frame standard 69. A connecting rod 70 has one end securedintermediate of the lever and at its opposite a link 73, the linkextending longitudinally fingers or lugs are rounded as at 77 at theirengaging side, so that the. edge of the carton is engaged by camsurfaces.

Continued movement of the slide swings or rocks the carton on its base,in which position it is maintained by means of the spear andthe cartonis thereby squared against the spear forward edge. The reciprocatingabut ment also aids in the squaring of the car ton in that. it engagesacross the rear panel of the box, the abutment being at right angles tothe table and the carton squared against these related parts.

Immediately after the squaring of the carton, swinging transport arms 78having right angled forward formations are swung upward, theright-angled portion fitting about the base panel and forward panel ofthe carton, maintaining it for subsequent feeding in squared relation,the arms being pivotally connected as at 79 to a carriage element 80 bymeans of a cross shaft, and one thereof being of bell crank constructionhas a depending arm 8l carrying one end of an operating rod'82.

The slide 55, the spear 33, and the. abutment 31, are then rapidlywithdrawn, the abutment 31 moving upwardly clear of the carton or thespace between the rails. The carriage element is then slid rearwardlycarrying the transport arms therewith, and consequently moving thesquared carton longitudinally of the machine between the rails into itsnextposition.

The carriage element or block 80 is moved by means of a rod 83 pivotallyconnected to 9. depending lug 84 of the block, and the block is moved ina slot 85 in the table, being supported thereon by means of an attachedplate 86 straddling and resting on the table adjacent the slot.

The swinging stop for preventing lateral displacement of the carton isswung clear immediately after the spear has been inserted. The timing ofthe various elements and the cams for imparting the movements theretomay be after any conventional manner and are not shown herein.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine of the character disclosed for opening and squaring aflat collapsed carton, the carton having scored lines to determine thelines along which the carton will bend for opening, means for supportingthe carton, a spear-headed in strument havinga square shouldered bodymovable for engagement into an end of the carton to partially open thecarton, with the square shoulder entering the carton along one of thescored lines, and means movable horizontally of the carton for engagingthe carton at an end beyond said spear-headed instrument, movable toopen the carton against and in square with a shoulder of saidspear-headed instrument.

2. The combination of means for supporting a collapsed flat carton, aspear-headed instrument having a square shouldered body movable forentering the carton from one end, with the square shoulder along a lineof scoring between adjoining walls of the carton along which the cartonis bent in opening, and a horizontally reciprocal .claw for engaging thecarton for drawing the same toward said square shouldered body to fullyopen and square the carton.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

- RUEL A. JONES.

